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Beijing Smog
An image goes viral in ChinaIt threatens the ruling Communist Party...Internet rumours take on a life of their own and online revenge becomes a weapon of dissent in a city where truth and reality are as clear as the thick smog around them in this gripping cyber thriller.When a young blogger who lives his life behind a screen posts an image online, he has no idea of the impact it will have on the nation – or that his life will collide with a delusional British businessman trying to sell the crumbling China miracle, and an American diplomat tasked to chase cyber spies. When the image takes on a life of its own, it threatens them all – but most terrifyingly, the Communist Party.The power of online ridicule and rumour in a society where fake news clouds reality is revealed; the veil beneath which corrupt politicians struggle for power, spies stalk cyberspace, and a bubble economy is at bursting point.From Beijing's smoggy streets to Shanghai's historic Bund, from the casinos of Macau to the grim factories of southern China, this novel captures the madness, corruption and dangers of the People's Republic and sheds light on the Westerners who have grown rich by looking the other way...
337 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 28, 2017
1 person is currently reading
27 people want to read
About the author
Ian Williams
6 books11 followersIan Williams is an award-winning journalist who has reported from across the world. He covered technology and business for the Sunday Times before moving to television. He was a foreign correspondent, based in Russia and then the Far East for Channel 4 News and NBC.
Ian has travelled and worked across China.
He lives in London.
Ian has travelled and worked across China.
He lives in London.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
September 9, 2018
There are so many issues with Beijing Smog I don’t even know where to start. The review I posted on my sight was nearly 1000 words, so let me try to condense it here.
Essentially, the characters are all slackers and every problem they have is their fault. That's the case with most books, but in other novels the characters have redeeming qualities that make you root for them. That's not so in Beijing Smog. Beijing Smog features a cast of slackers, womanizers and generally unintelligent people.
The novel is incredibly slow-paced. It’s not obvious to the readers how the characters are connected until about halfway through the novel, and even the characters’ stories don’t really start overlapping until about the 75% mark. When the characters do meet each other, it’s only Chuck that meets Wang, and their interaction only lasted a handful of pages. Tony never meets Wang, but Wang meets one of Tony’s new enemies. Chuck and Tony meet early on, but there’s so much filler that their interactions become boring.
Moreover, as someone who has intimate knowledge of Shanghai and who knows a lot about China's history, culture and politics (I studied there for 4 years and stayed an extra year), I found the plot rather contrived. There were elements of truth (censorship, bribery, surveillance, etc) but the way everything came together felt haphazard. There was too much build-up and too much truth-stretching for too little action. Beijing Smogs leaves the reader with a lot of loose ends.
In my original review, I gave Beijing Smog two stars. I'm not sure why. I think I was being generous because I love Shanghai and because Williams got some things right. I'll preserve the two-star rating but I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone.
Essentially, the characters are all slackers and every problem they have is their fault. That's the case with most books, but in other novels the characters have redeeming qualities that make you root for them. That's not so in Beijing Smog. Beijing Smog features a cast of slackers, womanizers and generally unintelligent people.
The novel is incredibly slow-paced. It’s not obvious to the readers how the characters are connected until about halfway through the novel, and even the characters’ stories don’t really start overlapping until about the 75% mark. When the characters do meet each other, it’s only Chuck that meets Wang, and their interaction only lasted a handful of pages. Tony never meets Wang, but Wang meets one of Tony’s new enemies. Chuck and Tony meet early on, but there’s so much filler that their interactions become boring.
Moreover, as someone who has intimate knowledge of Shanghai and who knows a lot about China's history, culture and politics (I studied there for 4 years and stayed an extra year), I found the plot rather contrived. There were elements of truth (censorship, bribery, surveillance, etc) but the way everything came together felt haphazard. There was too much build-up and too much truth-stretching for too little action. Beijing Smogs leaves the reader with a lot of loose ends.
In my original review, I gave Beijing Smog two stars. I'm not sure why. I think I was being generous because I love Shanghai and because Williams got some things right. I'll preserve the two-star rating but I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone.
July 12, 2019
This book was really quite funny. How do I describe it? Yes, a bit crude at times and used the F-word and I would rather not read that. There were so many farcical and sarcastic parts. One reviewer wrote the book was "character-driven" and that is true. The author described the characters and situations so well. I thought of the book as an unsanitized type of the Babylon Bee (my news source :) --"fake news you can trust."
Really an ingenious story: a tech savvy university student starts something as a joke and he sparks nationwide protests. The author must have a really good sense of humor.
Really an ingenious story: a tech savvy university student starts something as a joke and he sparks nationwide protests. The author must have a really good sense of humor.
May 2, 2023
I really liked this book! I’m not normally into this genre but I was hooked. It’s split perspective is well-plotted and comfortable but it has enough plot twists and tension to keep you turning pages. Having lived in China before, I could really relate to a lot of the themes and enjoyed the familiar imagery of the bright lights of the bund and the icy magic of Harbin. I would recommend this to anyone looking for a fun and exciting read.
August 13, 2018
China is bleeding inside.
Interesting to read about another piece of China you won't see until you go there. After I wrote a fictional story about a Chinese girl i met a while ago at a buffet in US, I'd alway wanted to know what goes on behind those chinese tall buildings, bridges and walls. Certainly, China is not what it appears to be if one dig deeper. This book took me a step inside the world of truth and deception, one I'd always wanted to discover, and the lies behind the chinese rising aggressive economy, one that is too often denied.
Interesting to read about another piece of China you won't see until you go there. After I wrote a fictional story about a Chinese girl i met a while ago at a buffet in US, I'd alway wanted to know what goes on behind those chinese tall buildings, bridges and walls. Certainly, China is not what it appears to be if one dig deeper. This book took me a step inside the world of truth and deception, one I'd always wanted to discover, and the lies behind the chinese rising aggressive economy, one that is too often denied.
December 11, 2017
A superbly entertaining page turner of a novel that blends a great understanding of contemporary China with detailed technical knowledge and an excellent turn of phrase to create a witty and insightful read.
The characters that are all too credible, and the fascinating storyline, combine in a tale that is both humorous and yet also a political thriller.
A thoroughly enjoyable experience!
The characters that are all too credible, and the fascinating storyline, combine in a tale that is both humorous and yet also a political thriller.
A thoroughly enjoyable experience!
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews